My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 641: Chapter 5: Training Iaido and the Demon Sword Vishnu

There are less than 20 days left until this year’s fireworks festival. In previous years, this is when Kagiya would test fireworks on the outskirts of Edo, where there are no buildings or crowds.

Aoto speculated that the sound of fireworks he and Mukiwa heard just now was likely the sound of Kagiya testing fireworks that they would set off at this year’s festival.

”...17 days left, and this year’s fireworks festival will begin, from August 23rd to August 25th. It’s rare to have it for three consecutive days.”

”Yes, it is.” Aoto took a sip of tea, responding absentmindedly.

”...Aoto, do you have the evening of August 23rd free?”

”Hmm? I...”

Aoto was about to instinctively reply, ”Hmm? I’m free,” when he suddenly realized something and abruptly stopped mid-sentence.

The evening of August 23rd... isn’t that the day of the fireworks festival?

Aoto’s expression became peculiar as he put down his teacup and turned to look at Mukiwa beside him.

Mukiwa’s face was normal initially.

But after noticing Aoto’s gaze, she lightly shivered.

Then, she slowly lowered her head, her eyes looking down.

Due to the angle, Aoto couldn’t see Mukiwa’s face, which was now buried low.

However, Aoto could see Mukiwa’s delicate and small ears and the skin near her ears turning a lovely cherry pink at a speed visible to the naked eye.

”On August 23rd... I can take a day off from Mr. Kiryu.”

”I’ve been in Edo for so long... and I haven’t seen the famous ’Ryogoku’s Kaichuan Fireworks Festival’...”

”So... so... Aoto, do you want to, do you want to...”

At this point, Mukiwa got stuck.

No... it should be said she ”couldn’t continue.”

Mukiwa’s voice got softer as she spoke.

And her face got redder as she spoke.

What was just cherry pink, in the blink of an eye, turned light red, and with another blink, it became bright red.

For the thin-skinned Mukiwa, the shame of the next words had exceeded her limits.

She stammered for a long time, unable to articulate the rest of the sentence...

Although Mukiwa couldn’t finish her sentence, Aoto deduced what this shy girl wanted to say based on her expression.

”...” Aoto quietly looked away, staring into the void in front of him.

To hide his awkward expression, he brought the teacup back to his mouth. Although his lips were against the edge of the cup, not a drop of tea was missing.

Aoto remained silent.

Mukiwa couldn’t muster the courage to speak again.

An indescribable atmosphere rose between the two...

Ever since the incident two months ago when Mukiwa took the initiative to suggest calling each other by name, no matter how much Aoto deceived himself, he couldn’t see Mukiwa as just an ”ordinary friend” anymore...

If he couldn’t see Mukiwa as just an ”ordinary friend,” their relationship would inevitably become ambiguous...

In fact, Aoto had become much closer with Mukiwa in recent times compared to before.

Their conversations were no longer limited to ordinary everyday chatter.

They also unconsciously had more slight physical contacts like touching hands, arms, and shoulders. Of course, these touches were mostly unintentional.

It could be touching her small hand when receiving tea from Mukiwa; or when chatting shoulder to shoulder and becoming so engaged in conversation they accidentally bumped shoulders.

Each time their bodies touched, Mukiwa’s cheeks would quickly turn red, and she’d jump back as if electrocuted.

Regarding the change in his relationship with Mukiwa... Aoto seriously thought about what feelings he held for Mukiwa.

Aoto believed his feelings for Mukiwa were mostly ”friendship.”

But besides ”friendship,” there seemed to be many other emotions... whenever he tried to explore them, his heart would race, and his chest would warm.

Aoto is a very emotionally healthy and normal man.

He naturally knew what this emotion was called.

This emotion... is called ”fondness.”

At some point, this emotion called ”fondness” suddenly appeared and grew unconsciously within Aoto. Now, it has grown so much that Aoto cannot ignore it.

”...” Aoto moved the teacup, which still hadn’t lost a drop of tea, from his lips and turned his gaze back to Mukiwa.

Unable to muster the courage to finish her sentence, Mukiwa’s face was still blushing, her shoulders hunched, and her petite body was tightly wound.

Do I want to go to the fireworks festival with Awu?—Aoto asked himself.

Almost instantly, a firm, powerful answer flashed through Aoto’s mind.

”...Awu.”

”Eh, ehh?”

Caught off guard by Aoto calling her name, Mukiwa reflexively lifted her face and met Aoto’s gaze.

Only when her face was covered with a handkerchief would Mukiwa become bold and thick-skinned enough to issue him an invitation to ”watch the fireworks festival together”... Mukiwa’s intentions were something Aoto didn’t want to take lightly.

Some things are better said personally from a man’s perspective.

Aoto took a deep breath.

”Awu, on August 23rd, would you like to go to the fireworks festival with me?”